Cal Fire urges residents to check their smoke alarms

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is urging residents to check their smoke alarms this week as a way to try and reduce the number of fatalities during residential fires.

"Smoke alarms give you and your family an early warning when there is a fire so you can quickly escape to safety," stated California State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover in a press release. "Making sure you have working smoke alarms in your home will help keep you, your family and guests safe."

According to Cal Fire, nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms. The agency offered these safety tips:

Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas, and on every level of your home.

Interconnected smoke alarms are best, because if one sounds, they all sound.

Get smoke alarms that can sound fast to all types of fires. Cal Fire recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms, or dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.

Inspect, test and clean smoke alarms and change alkaline batteries at least once every year, or when the alarm signals ("chirps") the end of the battery life. You can use a date you already know, like your birthday or when you change your clocks as a reminder.

Follow manufacturer's instructions if you have a 10-year smoke alarm which uses a long-life lithium battery.

Never paint over a smoke alarm.

Replace your smoke alarm at least every 10 years.

Practice exit drills so everyone understands what to do when they hear a smoke alarm.